This week on Momversation we shared some of our weight loss tips. Something I've been meaning to write about because I'm passionate about healthy eating and have recently been able to fall below my pre-pregnancy weight, thus FINALLY being able to fit back into my old prom dress with the armpit stains! Next stop? Re-piercing my navel myself with a bar of soap and a safety pin! And re-losing my virginity! Dr. Matlock, here I come!

The amazing thing? I haven't stepped foot in the gym since I was in my first trimester with Fable. One of these days I'll get back in there. Swear. In the meantime? It's all about the food, yo. No processed foods. Little if any refined sugar. And to lose those last ten pounds of pregnancy weight? No gluten. In fact? I pretty much substituted all gluten-based foods with Quinoa which I eat almost every day. Mix it up with swiss chard or tofu, mushrooms, and VOILA! Delicious, healthy alternative with body slimming results. (A great recipe, here, for those who want to add Quinoa to their healthy eating roster.)

(I have since gone back to eating the occasional gluten-based carb like bread, because, duh. It's fucking bread.)

(Which means, I have since put on a few extra pounds.)

(Eh. I'm married. Evs.)

What are some of your weight-loss secrets? How have you lost and kept off the baby weight? Care to share any healthy, low-calorie recipes? What do you think of "Quinoa" as a baby name? Who is your favorite Jersey Shore cast member? Conan or Leno? Also, #Avatar #whyyouintheclub? #bieberblastbaby #Lakers?

53
comments:

You know what's made my husband and I lose weight? Being poor. Seriously. We liked to think we prepared food most of the time, but we like to fool ourselves. We ordered out ALL the time. Went out to eat all the time. We were awful.

Well, now that I'm paying back a very expensive writing degree, but not earning much from it, and he got laid off, it's strictly eat-what-we-can-afford. We prepare all our meals now. Much more slimming on wallet and waistline. We've promised ourselves we'll keep it up even when we're no longer afraid to check our bank account balance.

I´m still working on it. Got a baby 6 months ago, only four kg (don´t know how that is in pounds...) lost so far out of at least 20, så I´ll stay tuned, because I need inspiration and help too. But I have lost weight before, and my number one rule was; write down everything you eat. And stay away from the chocholate...I have now started working out, so I belive I´m on right tracks...

Quinoa as a food? Not so much. Then again, I think it's because I haven't found a decent recipe for it.

I probably should give it a try, though, since child #3 and child #4 left me with an extra 40 pounds to lose.

Anonymous
| 7:54 AM

I feel quite fortunate that I generally prefer home made food and love fruit and vegetables. And, if it is the right kind of exercise - I will enjoy myself.In saying that, I have no qualms about inhaling a big bag of peanut m&m's or a big bag of chips. So I am not by any means a health nut.Anyways, one of the best things I was told which just makes me think again for what kind of snack I am going to eat when I am hungry, is the following:A banana and a cookie have the same amount of calories. You can easily see yourself eating 3,4 or 5 cookies no problem, BUT, try eating more than 2 bananas - you could not do it. It just makes me think more about food that is going to fill me up. And if I want a small treat after, fine, I can have one, but I am not going to fill myself on treats.

Anonymous
| 8:48 AM

No matter what you do, you're still never going to be 18 again. There's nothing sadder than a woman who's desperately trying to cling to youth.All the classically beautiful women cultivate their minds, act with dignity and dress with good taste. Trying to talk like a teenager (yo) and obsessively posting photographs of oneself online is just sad.BTW, my friends and I find your beauty advice hysterically hilarious. We read it to each other in exaggerated New Jersey accents while playing with our hair and pouting out our lips. Too, too funny.

The Abs Diet for Women. Don't let the title fool you, it's more of a guide to eating - For Life! I read it once and keep those tools with me daily. No fried foods, stay away from baked goods, eat as naturally as possible. No HFCS. Eat lots of spinach, greens, yogurt, lean protein, whole grains. Duh, it seems simple. Homemade protein shakes are a great (delicious) way to get a lot of these in one shot.

Also, I wake up every morning and say: Today, I will eat healthy, today I will exercise and today I will not drink. Honestly.

I skip the second one 1-2 days a week. Sometimes go back on the first and never, ever forget the third.

I have always had issues with weight, food, body image etc. I am a textbook emotional eater. I decided at 32 to cut out sugar and flour and do weight watchers. I also did Hot Yoga. I was a size 4 when I got pregnant. She is 15 months and I have yet to lose the 40lbs I gained, I emotionally ate through my pregnancy and beyond. I convinced myself I "needed" the extra calories to breastfeed.

I decided last week to return to the way I ate before, I have just been feeling miserable. I love a product called "shirataki" they are these carb-free japanese noodles that satiate the yearning for pasta. I also love Dr. Pragers spinach pancakes they are 80 calories and delicious and healthy. I hope to be able to fit into my old clothes this summer, but I am taking it day by day.

LOVE Dr. Praegers! Their California veggie burgers are amazing, too! (I toast a few and cut them in strips, put them over garbonzo beans, goat cheese and greens for a super yum dinner. Do that once a week! Good rec!

( http://www.drpraegers.com/ )

Also, Rachel? You should check out the rice-based pastas. They're amazing and very satisfying! I prefer them to wheat-based pastas now.

Also? You just had a baby! Day by day is right, girl. Don't stress it. You'll get there!

Ah, disclaimer I'm twenty four and I don't have children. Some people say I'm still working with a shred of a metabolism - I say everyone is different and I lost that when I turned twenty. In my first year of college I gained approximately thirty pounds. It sucks but my then boyfriend now husband loved me anyway and that helped a lot. My tips for weight loss for what it's worth..1) Learn to cook. If you make your own food you can choose how nutritious it is and serve your own portions. 2) Portion control will help. As I am halfway into a huge plate of food I close my eyes and ask my tum if I need more or if I can save some. I seem to enjoy that ow my tummy is stretching feeling. I duplicate that full feeling by starting a meal with a glass of water and sometimes a whole piece of fruit or handful of raw veg. This especially helps when dinner is something amazing, but nutritionally questionable.3) Always bring a dish to dinners. My friends are really big on hosting dinners. I always bring a big dish of something yummy and healthy to share. This helps a lot if the host made fried cheese for dinner. :) Then I load up on the healthy thing and take smaller servings of the yummy unhealthy thing.4) On motivation: When my husband and I started talking about having our own children I realize I'd really like to lose some weight. I'd never cared much about my BMI, but now it was about so much more than image. I see now that my weight is a lot more than fashion, and it impacts how I feel in a big way.5) On exercising: I thought my breasts excluded me from a variety of exercises. Now I can run without much discomfort. If anyone knew I needed three sports bras to get on that treadmill they might laugh, but fuck them, right? 6) If you think you hate exercise try something else! I am not so coordinated. I suck at step aerobics. Spinning made my ass (tailbone) hurt like crazy. Yoga studios can be hit or miss. Turns out I love very long walks in the city, my Wii fit, the elliptical, stationary bikes, and swimming. I also love dancing to some top forty. Who knew? I'm glad I didn't give up on finding an exercise I liked.7) Speaking of which.. Don't let snotty gorgeous folks (real or imagined) crowd you out of the gym! You deserve to be there just as much as anyone. Admittedly, once I decided I was entitled to the gym I found lots of folks were really nice. 8) as you know, if you hate your diet/exercise routine you are likely to quit! Find something you can stick with.9) Unless recommended by a doctor don't weigh yourself every day. Watching all the minor weight fluctuations can make you go crazy. That what I got. I'm down fifteen pounds and steadily losing and I've kept it off for months.

Great advice, Rosie! I second the no-scale thing. We grew up without scales in the house and I don't have one in my house either. Obsessing over pounds lost and gained can throw a diet off like crazy.

Claire
| 12:41 PM

My favorite quinoa recipe:Made it up, don't have a name! :)

First, cook your quinoa in water/chicken stock/veggie stock as directed on the package. Put in the fridge to chill.

Next, make a vinaigrette out of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and a pressed garlic clove.

Roughly chop one big tomato, an avocado, and a handful of kalamata olives.

Put down a bed of spinach (optional), spoon quinoa over greens, top with veggies and grilled chicken or shrimp, or a can/pouch of water packed tuna. Sprinkle with feta cheese. Drizzle with the vinaigrette.

So good, and very satisfying!

Also, wanted to add that once I started focusing more on fitting into the old jeans rather than the number on the scale, that seemed to help change my focus. And now anything I eat my son (15 months old) also wants, so that has really made me watch what I eat. If I don't buy it, I can't eat it. A package of cookies in the pantry is very dangerous! It's not fair if Mama and Daddy get chips and cookies and Grant doesn't, so now nobody does and we're all better off for it.

The other day I heard a good tip on GMA: if you want junk food, go ahead and eat it. But the rule is, you must make it yourself.

Caitlin
| 2:22 PM

I'll have to try quinoa soon. You should be getting some dividends what with all your fabulous talk of the stuff.

Letterman's my favorite. I think he's the closest thing to Johnny Carson we'll get. I never thought Leno was funny (his old show reminded me of a high school AV club project), and Conan can be charming but I see where he wouldn't get the mass-appeal.

Jersey Shore is the best trash tv out there. I doubt it will ever be topped.

Siobhan
| 2:53 PM

This is going to be short because I am preparing (ironically enough) a bunch of food for my friends and I to eat (and eat) tonight. If you can find it, try Cavena Nuda. Awesome stuff, sort of a chewy texture when cooked, but it is very tasty. It is grown in Manitoba for sure, but I'm not sure about finding it elsewhere. Plus it is grown close to my hometown by a guy who grew up in my hometown (yo, ARBORG!).

Immediately after I gave birth to my daughter I was down 20 pounds, the next day I had lost another five. I was thrilled and expected to lose the last 6 without a hitch. I was so wrong! In fact, I actually ended up gaining weight once I started breast feeding. Plus the comfort food (ahem, pizza every week) didn't exactly help.

So my New Years resolution, cook a simple healthy meal every night and eat my meal sitting down at the table with my husband. Keep my grocery shopping to the exterior aisles of the store (fruits and veggies) and away from the interior aisles where processed foods hang out. Get my gym membership active again and take time to relax and try to avoid obsessive worry.

I've also been using googabs of spaghetti squash instead of noodles or rice with our meals. So delicious and so easy!

So far, so good, I'm down six pounds! Only 10 more to go. I'm so going to do this. Victory, one vegetable at a time!

rebecca's response to anony 8:48 = gigglesnort!! loves. this is one reason i'm glad the only people who care to read my blog are friends. i get to avoid being the recipient of ridiculous, hateful diatribe from total strangers...

i totally stand by you on the healthy lifestyle and diet being important, especially as a mom. i want to be a good example to my daughter on these issues, and also stay healthy myself so i can be the best mama possible! i've been a vegetarian for almost 10 years (although i do think it's 100% possible to be healthy and eat meat, it's just not for me!) and like you i avoid eating processed foods and refined sugar the majority of the time...

i think that eating a diet of good-quality, home-cooked food is what helped me enjoy a very healthy pregnancy and extremely fast postpartum slim-down. after i had poppy and i was left with some squish here and there of course a bit of a flabdomen, but i kept up a good attitude and tried not to obsess over what was different than before i got pregnant. i breastfed, i wore my baby everywhere, and i walked when i could. since i live in washington and the weather isn't always great for outdoor fitness (see also: 300 annual days of rain) i exercise in spurts while indoors - i do sit-ups while p is napping, lunges in the shower, and i jog up and down the stairs. no scales, and absolutely NO calorie-cutting. in fact i had to eat a ton of extra food to keep up with breastfeeding full-time (a typical breakfast was often an egg, cheese and tempeh bacon sandwich, and i would seriously use the entire package of tempeh on that bitch! no joke.) when i weaned p after 8 months i cut back on my portion sizes and stopped snacking at night, as i knew my body's realistic need for food had decreased. so far, so good! i'm now well under my pre-baby weight and i'm thrilled to be back in my old clothes...

for me, being fit is a lot more than vanity - i want to teach my daughter good self esteem without having to lie about my own thoughts on my self-image.

good for you on posting about this! oh, and since you like quinoa, may i recommend my all-time favorite way to prepare it? saute 2 cups cooked quinoa and 1 package veggie burger crumbles in olive oil until hot and crisp. mix a package of taco seasoning with 1/2 cup water & 1 small can tomato paste (or a couple of chopped fresh tomatoes) and add into the pan. best burrito/taco stuffing EVER. it's high protein and sooo filling. noms.

best of luck to you in your fitness efforts! you look amazing!

cheers!

tlh
| 5:30 PM

love this post! i'm glad you did this momversation b/c it is very helpful to hear everyone's GREATEST tip. can u pls tell us though, what u eat for snacks, easy snacks. with u being a health nut i would love to know. i've cut out carbs and sugar, kind of following the south beach diet, but i am sick of eating meat and would actually like to cut meat out entirely. my snacks are mostly peanut butter, nuts and peanut butter :-). could u tell us your favs.and btw, i LOVE your "Evs, yo's" and everything else u say. and how do i say this delicately? Anon 8:48, what the fuckity fuck is wrong with you? shut your ass face. bye-bye, and don't let the door hit you in the vagina on your way out!it just slays me these women who are a. such haters of women and b. continue to come to a blog they don't like. i just don't get it. love your writing and tips! xo

Thank you for this post! I needed a reality check. I have been visiting family or having them visit me since before christmas, and it has been an endless parade of sweets. I don't know how much I have gained, but I can tell by the way I look that it is not a good situation. My son will be one in February and I am still nowhere near where I was pre-pregnancy, but the worst part is I'm just not comfortable. I don't have a plan yet, but appreciate all the advice and, like everything else, it's nice to know I'm not alone!

tara beara
| 7:26 PM

I have found that a combination of things work for me when trying to lose/maintain my weight:

1. I weigh myself everyday. Yes, the numbers can vary wildly from day to day (even hour to hour) but I like seeing a number and knowing what my baseline average is. When I wake up and am 3lb heavier than usual I know to cut back on my sodium or reel it in with the processed foods. This works for me.

2. Exercise. Lots and lots of hardcore sweat producing cardio most days of the week. I do interval training for the best fat burning potential.

3. Stay away from processed foods and dairy. Both make me bloat like crazy. For breakfast I usually have some steel cut oats with almonds and dried cranberries splashed with rice milk or some egg whites with spinach.

Gluten free, yay. I'm doing it. It's my new February challenge. Each year my husband and I have a month long challenge during the shortest month of the year to break up the winter blas. This year we're trying sex everyday. Eeek! I know cray-cray, right!? I'm not even trying to get pregnant. In fact I have a 4 month old. I'm planning to double up on the bc, just to be sure. At any rate, I'll add gluten free to the February challenge. Er. Wait. Ah wait a second. No beer? That's kind of an integral part of sex every day. I'm out.

After reading some of your comments I think you should do a weekly healthy recipe for us girl!

Neha
| 10:17 PM

I really like this recipe (and website) - it's healthy but I don't even notice that, because it is so delicious!

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001493.html

BenevolentForce
| 11:05 PM

I follow the Primal Blueprint, which pretty much means I eat what our ancestors ate and that's it: meat, nuts, veggies and fruits. I l-o-v-e it. I used to be the kind of person who had to workout four times a week, and watch my portions like a hawk to stay below 130 lbs (my personal weight limit at 5'7"). Since switching my diet, I weigh 125 consistently without any exercise (which I need to fix because it's good to get exercise). When I exercise I lose another five pounds. It's insane.

There's a whole community of people doing the same thing, sharing recipes and generally just being awesome. It's all at http://www.marksdailyapple.com if you're curious.

I'm normally a lurker here, but I had to share this. This way of life changed everything for me. :)

As for healthy snacking: I eat almonds between meals (TJs has great portion-sized bags) ... I also eat tons of apples, tangerines and roll a piece of cheese around dried fruit for treat. I also eat dark chocolate for dessert. Oh! I'm also really into hummus and cucumbers right now (instead of pita! cucumbers are so much better!! and so much better for you!)

I'm with whoever said they started losing weight when they became poor. All of a sudden I'm cooking all my meals at home, and it's like magic. Even if I do have In'n Out now, it's maybe once every two months, and I'm scaleless, so all I know is that I can see the change in my face and the way my watchband fits. The quinoa thing kind of interests me, so I may try that.

Oh, and when I am running late and have to pick up something for lunch, I usually hit the prepackaged stuff at Trader Joes. It has so much less of all the preservative junk in it, and I can really notice.

Diet-wise, I have a lot of restrictions: some self-imposed, and some doctor-recommended.- I eat a vegan diet.- I'm gluten-intolerant.- I have to really limit soy (soy-free would be ideal).

Also, to be both budget- and health-conscious, I buy almost nothing in packages. The most processed food in my house right now is canned, diced tomatoes.

For me, losing weight has to be about counting calories and watching my portions. Because I do so much home-cooking and have so many restrictions, it's really easy for me to overdo it on the things I can eat. (Rice pasta with olive oil, sauteed mushrooms, and roasted pine nuts? Yes, please!)

I love the recipes at FatFree Vegan Kitchen for healthy-meal inspiration. And every once in a while, I use FitDay to track my caloric intake, and see where I can improve. Since starting to keep track of my intake a couple weeks ago, I've lost the holiday weight and a little bit extra!

My advice?- Stay away from refined stuff. Whole foods cooking is where it's at!- Watch your portions; fill up on vegetables and fruit.- Eat breakfast, even if you don't feel like it. It doesn't have to be massive amounts of food; a cup of coffee or tea with unsweetened almond milk and a banana will keep your crabby, low-blood-sugared alter-ego away.

P.S. You can mix up to 1 cup of cooked quinoa into muffin batter for a healthier, moister, whole-grainier muffin (bonus points if you use whole-grain flour)!

Stef
| 3:51 PM

I have always been on the small side since childhood. Now I am 28, 5'4" and about 113 lbs (never had kids). I always thought I was more or less just normal-sized until I started a new job about 4 years ago, and everyone commented so much about how small I was. It was around that time that I decided to stop eating meat, for a few different reasons. I had grown up on frozen and processed foods as a child living with a frazzled single mom. We'd eat fast food frequently. Even though I was not fat, I wouldn't say I was on a healthy path. So, slowly over the years I have been learning more and making positive changes for myself. Some things that I feel have helped me:

I like to cook my own food, and I like to learn and try new ingredients and techniques. It's cheaper and better than going out, and if you cook big batches and freeze, it can be more convenient, too. (And quinoa is so full of nutrition, it's awesome! I will have to try the two recipes commenters left--they sound yummy!)

I drink alcohol socially but other than that, it's pretty much just water, which I love!

Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food" really changed how I view diets on a social scale--why the typical western diet is so unhealthy compared to more traditional diets, and how westerners' diets contribute to their health problems, which aren't prevelant in other parts of the world. I really recommend this book.

I remember how in my younger days, I could loose weight by either dieting or exercising. Now, at 37I have to do both. And it sucks. It's so true that it gets harder with age.

I had a son at 27 years old and the weight just melted off naturally, then I had a baby at 37 and the weight is holding steady. 18 months later, I'm fighting it and not having much luck. I think a diet over haul is in order.

Since you are obsessed with healthy eating, please, please share your tips. I need help. I need motivation. I know it's going to be even harder in my 40's, so I gotta get control of my ever expanding ass now.

Anonymous
| 9:09 AM

like michael pollan said- "eat food. not too much. mostly plants." i am not concerned with carbs, glutens, etc. (baring allergies) i think the new fad will move into something else eventually. we get a csa box each week and focus our meals around that. we eat in moderation. no soda, we juice, nothing processed. make all our own breads, baked goods, make homemade yogurt, sprouts, grow veggies. eat organic. if something contains a long and scientific ingredient it does not go in, near or close to our bodies. its not about weightloss but about a healthy mind, body and family. you don't need expernsive stuff- eat vegetables, a yummy grain like quinoa, whole grain pasta, etc lean meat, beans... that will sustain a body and its food that will maintain interest and not a passing fancy. exercise is needed for a healthy mind and the body will follow! i wish more people would grab onto that. and who needs a gym, too much $$$ we have the beautiful outdoors!!!! (and dvd's, haha!) too much focus most people make is being thin- healthy isn't always about being thin!

fruits & veggies, limit the carbs. that's what i usually do. i have the lose it app on my iphone & it keeps track of my calories. honestly, i don't eat a ton, anyway, but if i keep track of what i do eat & how much i run with the stroller, i can figure out if i can eat that homemade chocolate chip cookie or have that white russian at night. i try to run 5 days a week, as well. a fast metabolism doesn't hurt, either.

Liz L.
| 1:48 PM

For me, my recent weight loss came from was getting pregnant! I was taking very poor care of myself, eating wise, prior to becoming pregnant - mostly because I was eating almost all takeout. Then when I became pregnant, I really cleaned up my act - no alcohol (obvs), lots of veggies, whole grains, healthy proteins, tofu, drinking soymilk, snacking more to keep my blood sugar level, and I started cooking at home. I am still taking in plenty of calories, but because I was already quite overweight to start with, the healthy changes and portion control still caused a calorie deficit and I started to lose weight. The OB and the midwives I am working with are all fine with the weight loss because they are satisfied that I am taking in more than enough calories for baby - they have me keeping a food journal, which we go over at the appointments. I lost 30lbs over the first 20 weeks of pregnancy and now the gut that I had has gotten hard and has transformed into "the bump" and my weight loss has stopped and I have been maintaining the same weight, within about a 3 lb range. Crazy but true!

Adrianne
| 4:06 PM

@Anon, 9:09, I love everything you said! I've actually been reading "In Defense of Food" and anything else I can find on the subject of the state of "food" in this country. I'm appalled, sickened, and ready to make HUGE changes. But realistically, I'm not to the point of making all of my own food, so I still rely heavily on the grocery store...just with a very different attitude.

Like Anon above me, it's all about being healthy for me, not the weight loss...although if that accompanies it, it's a bonus:) I still eat plenty of high-fat foods including lots of nuts, avocados, olive oil, etc. I've tried to completely cut out HFCS and definitely any hydrogenated oils. I'm working on processed foods in general, but find it to be very difficult as almost everything has been "processed" in some way. Lately I've been trying really hard to only buy stuff that has a couple of ingredients and of those couple, I have to know what all of them are. Yeah, easier said than done! Rebecca- you've mentioned healthy eating before, and I've been thinking for a while that I'd be very interested to hear what you eat on a daily basis. It really helps to get the ideas flowing when you can hear from other people with like-minded food "values". I know you do a lot and are super busy, but do you think you'd ever do a food "tutorial" similar to your makeup ones? It might seem like common sense to you since you've been doing it for a while, but the information could be really valuable to a somewhat newbie like myself:) Oh, and one last thing...I was recently in LA (Go Horns!) and HAD to go to Trader Joe's because you (and some other bloggers) have mentioned it several times. I needed to see what the fuss was about and expected something totally amazing. I guess being from Austin (where Whole Foods was started and is headquartered), I wasn't overly impressed. I so wanted to love that place!! :)P.S. Sorry for the small novel, and thanks for this blog that you share with all of us. I am always inspired by your words and touched by your photos. Keep up the good work, and ignore idiots like the one above who have nothing better to do with their time than try to bring others down to their pathetic level!

Anonymous
| 4:32 PM

Random feedback:

Love this positive approach to talking about weight loss.

Also love the fashion and makeup posts, hope you keep them up.

Don't understand the snarky anonymous people.

I like the idea of momversations but never get through them all because I have no patience for watching commercials on my computer, and the editing style is a bit too...jerky? or something for me. But thats just my 2 cents.

Anyway fun post!

And Pauly is my favorite Jersey Shore cast member. In fact I have a weirdly inappropriate crush on him.

Hi, we also are a gluten-free household. I think that's what helped me lose all the baby weight (plus some!). Quinoa is pretty much a staple in our household, though it is always hit or miss whether my daughter will eat it.

thanks for the tips! i need some inspiration--6 mos postpartum and still 10 lbs over pre-preg. part of it for me has been extreme sleep deprivation sucking my energy and will to eat well and exercise more. excuses, i know, but it's true for me. after sleep training this week, babe-ums is now sleeping through the night (hallefuckinlujah) so i intend to get that will and energy back.

I loves me some Quinoa, and not such a bad baby name. Not so much into the losing weight as I'm pregnant but I love Jersey Shore. Talk about a pregnant lady treat!

I have to say Snookie gets me every time. When she met the Irish dude, and started talking about delivering farm animals I about died. She is graduating from community college, and wants to become a vet but she alienated the entire house the first night because she was so wasted! Love her!

Also for non-vegetarians, replacing 2 meals a week with a veggie meal (thats healthy, not mac n cheese or pizza) will totally help with the weightloss PLUS give you more energy and your poor clogged arteries a break!

First off Rebecca- I JUST started catching up on my reading and saw that you posted my recipe here TOO! YOU ROCK SISTA SLEDGE! Thanks mucho!

What i said in a nutshell is Ive battled the bulge most of my life. Its tough and after we become parents, its not easy to find time to take care of myself. But for some strange reason I am much more accepting of my body now than I was when I got married and looked SMOKING! I dont know what it is but there is something about popping out a kid that made me want to say "hey, my body may be jiggly at the moment but its BADASS! I produced life!" Sure there are days when i want to cry and cant understand why i dont look like Gwen Stefani (well i can understand but I dont want to understand! I just WANT!!!) but for the most part im way happier now than I was when i was thinner and in better shape. I guess i finally learned to be me and that in and of itself is worth its weight in HoHo's!!

We all need to be kind to ourselves and thank our bodies (however chubby they may be) for allowing us to deliver babies, cuddle those babies, kiss our hubbies/wifeys, walk the earth, etc... Once we begin to love ourselves, we will be able to take better care of ourselves and fuel our bodies with better foods. Its easy to obsess but its when we obsess that we set ourselves up for failure. Eat a little healthier (eliminate one bad thing from your diet (for me its sugar) and move a little more. even if its dancing with the babe in the living room for 10 mins a day. Dance like no bodies watching!!!!.

Anonymous
| 11:06 PM

Have you tried Red Quinoa? It's delicious! I love regular quinoa as well, but its a nice color and (slight) flavor change. I found it either at Whole Foods or Nugget Market, Alter Eco Fair Trade Brand. Yum!!

Re: Complacency - To think about where the thing has come from before one puts it in her body.

We eat things all day without thinking about where they come from and the repercussions of consumption. We know now the importance of taking responsibility for our carbon footprint on the world but what about the footprint on ourselves? It was this idea that converted me to (temporary) veganism and now, a vegetarian (who dabbles in fish)...

One should never be nonchalant about the things she puts in her body. In order to take care of ourselves we must look deeper into the lives of the things we consume and understand what it means to our bodies to bombard them with unnatural and tortured things.

By asking "where did this come from? How was it raised? Grown? Processed?" we can distinguish pretty easily what is good for our bodies and what isn't.